Chapter nine: Guilty or innocent?

Mello and Near turn in surprise as L steps through a bush only to stand in front of it.

Mello quickly pulls Near close protectively. "You can't put it on him!"

Near grips Mello's shirt as his heart races in fear that he is going to get arrested because of Brend right now.

"No. I can't." L says in agreement.

Mello and Near blink in surprise at this.

"I followed you Mello into the forest and there I have witnessed all that you have done." L explains. "I also know the both of you. I know you wouldn't do such a thing like murder if you had a choice. Brend is the real murderer. But I would like an explanation of what's going on and how it all happened." He adds. "I only have my theories right now but I want to hear it from you two."

Mello still keeps Near close protectively and he decides to tell L. "Well it started with a project to bring out the strongest emotion."

"And it ended up creating a murdering monster." Near adds.

"So Near's been trying on his own to get rid of Brend who he can't control. When I learned about what was going on I joined in trying to stop Brend." Mello continues.

"Have you found a way to stop him?" L asks. "I cannot arrest Near since he is innocent even if the guilty one is sharing a body with Near there is nothing that says Near is guilty of the crimes. He technically didn't do anything wrong. Brend is the murderer not Near."

Near looks relieved. "Mello says that he found something but we haven't tried it."

L nods bringing a thumb up almost to his mouth. "Then we will need to begin at once. Get to Near's room."

"What about covering up if we do destroy Brend?" Mello asks.

L smiles gently. "Leave that up to me. All you need to worry about is stopping Brend. I know that you two are the only ones who can do this. Go."

Mello smiles. "Thank you L."

The two dash away so Near can sneak to his room with Mello going to gather the work before heading to his own room to get what he is sure will help destroy Brend then go to meet Near.

L watches them go and he had lowered his thumb to be inside of his pants pocket with the rest of his hand sticking out of the pocket resting against his thigh. "Good luck you two." He turns and leaves the forest himself.

Watari sees him as he was looking for L and he goes to the other. "There you are."

"The murderer has escaped." L says. "I saw the figure running into the forest and followed. But the murderer got away."

"The murderer struck again. This time in a classroom. Left behind a message that only read as Brend." Watari reports.

"We must make it public all that we know about Brend. We must make him wanted." L tells Watari.

Watari nods in agreement. "It'll help us catch him."

The two head back to the orphanage.

…

Mello arrives to Near's room with what he has come up with. His eyes widen as he sees Near's head down as Near seems to be breathing a little heavily. "Near!" He closes the door rushing to the other.

Near turns to Mello then his eyes change to Brend's eyes. His eyes narrow as Brend takes over. "You."

Mello stops and quickly thinks of a way to get the mixture into the other's mouth since he knows Brend will not take it willingly. He decides that the best way might be to put it into his mouth then force it into Brend's mouth in a kiss which will force him to drink hopefully enough of it for it to work.

Before he can even move to go through with his plan, anything to get rid of Brend….

Brend moves closer to Mello then suddenly his eyes close tightly only for him to grip Mello's shirt as he leans against Mello. "Mello." He says in fear. "He's tired but he wants full control."

Mello's expression is fully determined. "He won't have it." He says.

Near opens his eyes showing the last remaining bit of his eyes turn back to grey as he looks up to Mello.

Mello opens the test tube that he had put a cork in to keep the liquid inside. "This is what I have come up with. It's something that I was trying many years ago. It's a liquid I tried to make when I thought I hated you and I felt a feeling of love towards you. So I wanted to eliminate it. It didn't work for me but I believe it is our best bet in getting rid of Brend."

Near looks to the light blue liquid. "It is worth a shot." He lets go of Mello only to take the test tube. "Now or never. I'm lucky Brend is tired right now or I would have so much more trouble keeping him down." He brings the edge of the tube to his lips only to tilt it back along with his head to drink it.

Mello watches Near as Near drinks it all.

Near lowers his head moving the tube away from his mouth.

Mello takes it and places it along with the cork onto the nightstand since they are close to it.

Near wobbles a little.

Mello brings him into his arms. "Are you ok?"

"It is working…. But….." Near begins as he leans against Mello feeling his body being pulled into unconsciousness as he feels the tug on his soul that seems to tell him what's going on. "It worked in the way that it is making a final battle about to take place. Inside of my body. The final fight and whoever wins doesn't get destroyed. I think that's why it didn't work for you. You didn't have something else to fight since it was just you."

Mello nods in understanding and he brings Near over to the bed getting him to lay down. He sits next to the other and puts one hand on the bed on the other side of Near's body as he leans over his body. "Come back to me." He says.

"If I am not the winner." Near says as his eyes begin to try to close leaving him with half open eyes. "Please kill or stop Brend. Just do whatever you are comfortable with to try to stop him from hurting anyway."

"Near." Mello begins.

"Please." Near pleads. "I don't care what it is as long as you try."

Mello smiles gently. "I promise. But please." He leans his head down and places his forehead against Near's. "Come back to me as you. I love you."

"Love you too." Near says ready to fall unconscious.

Mello closes his eyes and presses his lips against Near's own.

Near closes his eyes as Mello does this.

Then Mello feels Near give an exhale against his lips as the kiss is slightly broken, as Near tilted his head to meet Mello's lips, as he falls unconscious.

Mello pulls away enough to look at Near's face with now half open eyes. "Good luck my love." He whispers to the other. "Win. I'll stay right here. Beside you through it all and even after." He sits up moving his hands to his lap as he stays sitting next to Near on the bed. He watches Near as the other looks like he is just sleeping.